SHAPES: MOUNTAINS – VARIOUS ARTISTS [TRU THOUGHTS RECORDINGS]

Hot 8 Brass Band’s party-starter “Can’t Nobody Get Down” is refreshed with brass and 808 bass by Alphabets Heaven and Prince Fatty and Nostalgia 77 illuminate the shared roots and spirit of rebellion at the heart of dub and jazz in “Little Steps Dub”. Prolific producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Will ‘Quantic’ Holland teams up with long term friend and collaborator Nidia Góngora on “Amor En Francia”, reworked into a breathtaking dancefloor track with soulful 150bpm magic by Philadelphia-based producer Sideswipe, as the Quantic y Los Míticos del Ritmo acordeon band cover Drake’s “Hotline Bling”.

These iconic tracks are joined by releases from J-Felix, Space Captain and Magic Drum Orchestra, alongside “Vortex Number 9”, the first single from new signings Uniting Of Opposites, who bring to life a melting pot of cultures and musical inspirations on their debut album ‘Ancient Lights’, and Te’Amir, who highlights five new tracks of beat driven, rootsy and soulful explorations on his “Abyssinia EP”. Further showcasing the wide-ranging Tru Thoughts roster, infamous Roll Deep MC Flowdan teams up with dancehall MC Irah on new track “Bodybag”, Foreign Beggars’ Nonames teams up with Hybrid Minds vocalist Alexa Harley on “Passing Time” and London-based neo-soul duo Aurora Dee Raynes bring the blissed-out old school funk with “Find My Way”.

Stepping into the mix, electronic producers Ivy Lab and Chug each put forward their take of tracks from Rhi’s debut album ‘Reverie’, while Eric Lau and Kadi Tatham blend the laidback ‘80s electronica of Moonchild’s “Run Away” with their unique character and rhythm to draw out a carefree groove that scintillates with plucky guitar licks. Further re-orchestrations include Max Cooper’s take on Hidden Orchestra’s “Wingbeats” and Ed West adds a touch of soundsystem, dancehall and jungle on his remix of the unfadable “Still D.R.E.”, taking a track from Sly5thAve’s acclaimed ‘The Invisible Man: An Orchestral Tribute To Dr. Dre’.

‘Shapes: Mountains’ also includes reworkings from within the Tru Thoughts family; Rhi delicately brings The Seshen’s “All I Know” into a dusk-filled and haunting space and Uniting Of Opposites founder and legendary dance producer Tim Deluxe explores movement and progression in his remix of “Car Number 27/Mr. Alpo”.